Automatic self-closing flush-valve for toilets.



H. L. HARDY. AUTOMATIC SELF CLOSING FLUSH VALVE FOR TOILETS. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 2,1911.

1,297,563. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

BY 6 M /1,/ g ATTORNEYS.

HOMER L. HARDY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. G.'DUEBFELDT, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC SELF-CLOSING FLUSH-VALVE FOR TOILETS.

Application filed July 2, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER L. HARDY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington,have invented new and I useful Improvements in Automatic Self- GlosingFlush-Valves for Toilets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatically closing flushvalves which are specially designed for toilets.

My invention includes a valve mechanism having a valve closure which ismanually operable against water pressure from the main in order topermit of ingress of the water to said mechanism,'means being providedfor positively retaining the valve closure in a full open positionduring the period of flush adjustment of the valve mechanism.

A further feature consists in providing a timing reservoir in'which apiston is controlled by water pressurefor releasing the valve closureafter a predetermined period of flushing, whereby the-water pressureit'- self will close and seat said closure.

A. further novel feature consists in automatically acting means fordraining the timing reservoir after the valve closure has been seated,and in the preferred form, this automatic draining means is positivelyactuated upon movementof the valve closure to a seated position.

My invention includes a valve body which has a discharge openingdelivering to the bowl of the toilet which is very greatly restrictedwith respect to the area of the inlet to said body from the pressuremain. Thus during the flushing inflow, aconsiderable pressure of waterwill be maintained in the valve body and I utilize this pressure fordischarge of a portion thereof into the timing reservoir to actuate thetiming mechanism at the termination of a 'pre-determined period offlushing.

My invention has other objects and features which will be more fullydescribed in connection with the accompanying drawing, and which will bemore particularly.

pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of thedevice of my invention showing the valve structure in a closed posi-*tion. a l a V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 18., 1919.

Serial No. 178,257.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in an openposition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent figures of the drawing. v

As illustrated, 1 designates a hollow valve body which is adapted fordirect connection with a pipe of a water main by means of extension 2. Afitting 3 is turned into said extension 2 and is provided with a yoke 4which constitutes a bearing for a closure stem 5 whereby the latter willbe held to a linear path of movement. Said body .1 has a partition 6forming a valve chamber 7 through which the inflow passes under pressuretoward and into said body 1. Said partition 6 is provided with a closureseat 8, as shown. A valve closure 9is shown formed integral with saidstem 5 and said closure 9 is adapted to be manually operated or movedout of engagement with its seat 8, andtoward and against the incomingpressure into an open position, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus water pressurewill always act to seat said closure. However, I have shown a spring 10interposed between said closure and the bearing 4:, which springnormally acts to supplement the water pressure, in seating said closure,this spring being especially important when the mechanism is operated inconnection with such a low pressure water system as four pounds to thesquare inch. On a higher pressure, this spring is not so important, aswill hereinafter more fully app-ear. Extending from the closure 9 is abifurcated stem portion 11, the latter terminating in a cylindrical stemportion 12. The cylindrical stem portion 12 is slidable through apacking gland, indicated as a whole at 13 and is provided on its outerend with a push button 14 whereby the entire closure structure maybe'manually opened from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the positionshown in Fig. 2, against the action 'of spring 10 and the waterpressure. The

valve body 1 has a discharge opening 15 adapted to deliver to the bowl16, of the toilet, and the terminal end may be suitably equipped withany suitable form of nozzlelike device for rendering the discharge intothe bowl as noiseless as possible, this feature not being a specificpart of my invention. However, a fan shapedterminal end might bearranged to spread the flow against the interior wall of the bowl abovethe siphon level of the water.

It will now be seen that the valve seat 8 permits of inflow to the body'1 greatly in excess of the capacity of outlet to dis charge the waterfrom said bowl the latter discharging aginst no resistance greater thanatmospheric pressure. Thus there willbe.

10 some considerable pressure in the valve body 1 during the flushingoperation.

I will-next describe my improved automatically acting timing mechanismwhich I is preferably operated by this pressure in- 15. the valve body 1to performfthe function of terminating the flushing action at the end ofa pre-determined period.

-=The upper end of the valve body 1 is open, as .7 at '17, and isinteriorly threaded. A shoulder 18 is formed adjacent the top ofsaidbody. A cylindrical timing reservoir 19 has threaded connection-withthe valve.

body 1 and there is interposed between the reservoircasing 19 and theshoulder 18, a diaphragm 20, which is rigid, and which divides-thereservoir chamber from the hol- .low valve body 1. It will be understoodthat this timing reservoir is not designed to. take the place of a flushtank and that it doesfnot'function'to hold a body of water 'forfiushingthe tank. On the other hand the water that enters this reservoir ismerely for the purpose of operating mechanism which I am now about to.describe in detail. A gasket 21 is interposed between the shoulder. l8and the reservoir 19. Said diaphragm20 is providedwith an opening 22'whereby. the reservoir will constantly be in restricted timingcommunication with the valve-body 'for timing flow from the latter intothe former. The upper end of said reservoir is provided with openings 23to prevent air'from pocketing in said reservoir and. also to preventvacuum interference 4 witha'pi'ston which I am about to describe. Ihavezshown ap-iston 24 provided with a disk gasket 25,-the margin 26 ofwhich engages-the interior of the reservoir 19 to provide forawater'tight engagement. The

- .;pistonl24: is provided with a hub sleeve 27.

-. which is externally threaded. A nut 28 is -DlOVlClt-ffl on saidsleeve to hold the gasket :firmly, in position against the piston 24,the

latter resting against the head 29, of said, L'sleeve. 1 Furthermore, 7said sleeve nut is threaded on a: piston rod 29 which has a bearingat-30, in, the top of the reservoir 19 -and which also has a bearing 31,formed- .,-1ntegral with the'diaphragm 20. Thebearing31 isprovidecl.with a suitable packing gland 32: toprevent leakage around thepistontro-dfrom the valve body-into the reser .QVOH'. Asp ring-33 isinterposed between said piston and the top ofsaidjreservoir to5.;resist.p1'essure..1novement.of the piston in be. re ulatedbyiadjustment ofithe piston 24' the direction of the arrow shown in Fig.2. Adjustment regarding the spring tension desired, may be effected byadjusting the piston on the threaded piston rod. The lower; end of thepiston rod 29 projects into i. the valve body and rests upon the top ofi the, looped or bifurcated stem portion 11, as

shown in Fig. 3, the terminal of said stem spanning the'slot in saidportion and being held down in position by spring 33. A re taining tripdevice is provided-which may consist of abell crank lever 34: which ispivoted. at 35 inthe slottediportion lland ,,wl1ic-h;has one arma3 6which is adapted to project. above the 1ste111.;Tl1e terminal end 37 isadapted to, rest, against the,p-iston.rod 29, whenin, the position shownin .Fig. 2,

to retain the closure structure inten -open ..position. A stop 381limitsmovementof said 5 trip device undertheiaction of .a;leaf spring a the\water to pass. up=through opening 22 into reservoir 19 until-therisingwaterlevel reaches the piston 24. Continued pressure \vil.l ;.o.erc9ine' thespring 33 .andwill actuate-the piston so as. to elevate thepiston rod out; of engagement. with .the retaining. end 37. This willfree the closure structurefor closing action by water pressure -against.

V. the closure v9, ,inaddition to spring-10 and termi ate flushing.action. ;.Thef.perio.d of flushing may not only be regulatedby the sizeof .opening 22; but itmay additionally 1 to ;eitherincrease or; decreasethe gtension of i ri a3 I willnextdescribe the novelimanner in,.Z\,vhich the controlling or timing reservoir inechaiiism; is drainedsubsequent to .each

flushing ,operation as otherwise the, device would not be opc ative. v

TfTllG diaphragm 20,-.is provided with a valve ,seat 4:2 forestablishing. communi ca-.

tion betweengthe valve body and the. r eser-.- .voir. [Nd-rain} va1veclosurel3 is movable against the pressure, i body .1 to close. A

.- .U frame-i is mounted upon; the diaPhragin 120 andtthe-,:closureL3isiprgwided-v with a t stem 45 which isislidable; through said: frame}1 2 5 14.. A spring d6 is inter-posedtbetween said frame .anditheclosure-4i3 and normally acts :to ,seat the latter; -The.:lower,;end-47. of .said stem. ex ends-in o body '1 in -.t .e. p

of engagement of one arm 48 of a be ll erank:

' tion 11 of the closure structure.

to a hanger 50 and the remaining arm 51 be ing' forked and straddlingthe slotted por- The forked portion is provided with bifurcated limbsadapted to engage trunnions 53, projecting laterally from-the slottedportion 11.

It will now be clear that when the closure.

' i is released and water pressure or the spring 10, or both, force theclosure structure into the position shown in Fig. l, the mechanism instdescribed will open the drain valve or closure 43 at a time whenpressure in the body 1 willhave diminished so that the contents of thetiming reservoir may empty or drain by gravity into the chamber 1, andthence into the bowl 16. The arrow 1n Fig. 1 indicates the lower endwaterlevel lnthe reservoir responsive to the draining action of thevalve 43.

It will be noted that the drain valve is always open when the closure 9is seated and therefore the reservoir will always be completely andquickly drained after each flushing operation so that there will be nodanger I of freezing or interfering with a next and quickly followingoperation ofthe valve 9.

The spring applied to the closure structure will either bestronger thanthe spring applied to the drain valve or there will be sufiicientleverage to enable the combined pressure of the water and the closurespring to overcome the drain valve spring. VVhereby the closurestructure will be positively closed andthe quick drain valve positivelyopened. 1 On low water pressure, the closure spring'is usually desirablebut on high water pressure, this spring can be eliminated.

It is believed that the novelty and utility of my invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing description, and while I haveherein shown and described one specific form of my invention, I do notWish to be limited thereto except for such limitations the claims mayimport.

I claim 1. In an automatic self-closing valve for toilets, a valve bodyfor connection with a pressure main and including a valve seat and amanually operable main valve closure structure for said seat, said valvebody having a toilet flush outlet for discharge into the toilet bowl,timing reservoir having restricted timing and direct communication withsaid body for timing pressure inflow into said reservoir from said body,a spring controlled piston in said reservoir actuated by reservoirpressure and being operatively connected with said closure structure tohold the same open after it is manually opened and releasing saidclosure structure upon actuation of said piston by timing pressure insaid reservoir, an independently movable drain valve delivering directlyfrom said reservoir into said body independently of .said drain valveagainst the action of said spring to drain, the contents ofsaidreservoir-directly-into said body, substantially as described. I I pp 2. In an automatic self-closing flushva'lve for toilets, a valve body.for. connection with a pressure main and including a valve seat and amanually operable main valve closure structure for said seat, said valvebody having atoilet flush outlet fordischarge into said bowl, a timingreservoir having direct. restricted communication with said body fortuning pressure inflow into said reservoir from said body, a springcontrolled piston in said reservoir actuatedby reservoir pressureagainst the said spring and being opera-.:

,tively connectedwith said closure structure means automatically andquickly draining said reservoir directly. intosaid-body independently ofsaid restricted timing communication with said body attersaidclosurestructure has been seated, substantially as; described.

3. In an automatic self closingflush valve for toilets, a valve bodyforc'onnection with a pressure main and includinga valve seat and amanually operable valve closure struc-.; ture for said seat, said valvebody having a toilet flush outlet for free discharge into a toilet bowlunder substantiallyatmospheric pressure, a timing reservoir havingrestricted communication with said body for timing pressure inflow intosaid reservoir from said body, a spring controlled piston in saidreservoir adapted to be actuated by reservoir pressure and beingoperatively connected with said closure structure to hold the'same openafter it has been manually opened and to release said structure uponactuation of said piston by timing pressure in said reservoir, and meansautomatically and quickly draining said reservoir directly into saidbody independently of said restricted timing communication and aftersaid closure structure is seated, substantially as described.

water inflow from said body to release said valve, a quick drainingvalve means spring controlled to close against Water pressure in saidvalve body and delivering to said body directly independently of saidrestricted

